An important skill in soccer that must be practiced quite often is kicking a soccer ball into a goal. The ideal situation for practicing this skill would include, upon a shot on goal being taken by a player, a rapidly returning ball to allow the player to take another shot immediately, correcting any error present in the previous shot. The higher the frequency of shots taken, the more effective the regimen becomes for perfecting technique. It is difficult for a player to practice this skill, however, because following a shot, the ball must be retrieved from the goal before another shot is taken, reducing the frequency with which shots may be taken.
Also, during a soccer game, the opposing team's goalie will often block a shot on goal, causing the ball to rebound toward the player shooting the goal. The goal shooter must then react quickly to kick the rebounded soccer ball back toward the goal. This aspect of the game is difficult to practice because it requires the player who is shooting goals to practice with a willing goalie skilled in deflecting the ball.
One solution to these problems has been to develop practice goal structures consisting of a framework with a net attached to the front surface. When the player shoots the ball into the goal, the ball bounces off the net back toward the player. These structures are difficult to transport singlehandedly and take a long time to set up and take down. Furthermore, these devices often use a loose net that dissipates much kinetic energy, and results in a slowly rebounded ball.
Another solution to this problem has been to attach a rebounding net to the front of an existing soccer goal. Rebounding nets designed to attach to existing goals have not, however, provided sufficient tension to rebound balls fast enough or far enough away from the goal to allow the practice of some drills. Some nets designed to attach to existing goals have attempted to solve this problem by incorporating rigid frame members, which, while still not rebounding soccer balls with sufficient speed or distance, resulted in a more bulky device.
Therefore, a practice net is needed that can be transported easily and attached quickly to standard soccer goal frames located on a practice or playing field. The practice net must rebound balls regardless of where they hit the net and provide sufficient tension across the face of the goal so that soccer balls striking the net will be rebounded with enough speed and distance to allow the practice of certain drills.